Road spreader



Dec. 29, 1931. vC, H. NABER ET AL 1,838,631

ROAD S PREADER Filed June 19, 1928 Sheets-Sheet 2 gva/vento@ @y wwmlrmmq20 first mentioned drive,

5 rough, hard material such as chip stone,

Patented Dec. 29, 1931 CLAUDE E. NABER AND-CLARENCE HOLLIDAY, TO N & HSPBEADEBS, INC., 'OF.HAMBURG,

K Yom:

Tas PATENT OFFICE O F HAMBURG, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOBS NEW YORK, ACORPORATION F ROAD SPBEADER Application med :une 1s,

This invention relates to an improved spreader which is primarilyintended for, but not necessarily limited to, use on a dumping truckwherein it functions to receive material such as chi stone, which isdumped from the truck boldy and to spread such material over the surfaceof a road. The spreader is of the type which has a hopper adapted forattachment to the truck and an agitator shaft for maintaining'thematerial within the hopper in a loose condition to insure a uniform andeven feed.

In the constructions of this type as heretofore proposed, the practicehas been to drive the agitator shaft either from the driving system ofthe truck or from the ground through an auxiliary wheel, the latterhaving, in such case, the additional function of supporting the spreaderas a'whole. In the the connection between the driving system is apositive one in which the agitator shaft must rotate as lon 'truckmoves. In the auxiliary drive, the weight of the hopper is suilicient topress thev wheel against the surface of the road with such force as toamount to a drive equally as positive as the first mentioned drive. Apositive drive has the objection, however, that it will cause adisruption of one or more parts of the driving connection or associatedparts when any of the material being spread wedges between the shaft andhopper so ti htly as to lock the shaft against rotation. T is 1sparticularly liable to happen when spreadingha t e size of the pebblesvarying considerably.

An object of this invention is to avoid the above objection and,therefore, tol provide a driving means which is arranged to slip whenthe agitator shaft is locked against rotation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spreader which can bequickly and easily attached to or removed from the various types ofdumping trucks now in common use.

A further object is to provide means for varying both the length andwidth of the hopper outlet whereby the strip of material being spreadmay be controlled both as to as the 192s. serial Nt. 256,699.

width controlling means wsith respect to the shaft so that suchmeans'may be utilized to effect the quick release of the material w'hichbecomes wedged between the shaft and hopper. v

' -An embodiment of a spreader embodying the features of the inventionis illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the s reader as it appears when attachedto a truc the latter being indicated by dotted lines.

Fig. 2-is a transverse section, through the vertical center of thespreader.

Fig. 3 is a top lan view showing one of the outlet vopening lockingdoors in its operative position," parts of the spreader being omitted.

Fig. 4lis a bottom plan view.

Fig. 5 is a section along line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view showing a modified form of securing meansVfor the spreader.

The spreader, as stated, includes a hopper and an agitator shaft. Thehopper which is indicated generally at H, may be of any suitableconstruction, the construction shown consisting of vertical side walls 1and 2 and downwardly converging front and rear walls 3 and 4, all ofwhich are suitably secured together. The lower marginal edges of thefront and rear walls 3 and 4 are spaced apart to provide a dischargeopening from which the spreading naterial emerges as it is being fed tothe roa For the purpose of securing the spreader to a truck, the frontwall 3 is provided with a pair of forwardly extending arms 5-which areof hook shape whereby they may be hooked over the rear cross member 6(indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1) of the truck chassis. This mode ofattachment has the advantage lIf desired, the arms 5 may extend straightin- 5 quantity and dimensions, and to arrange `the stead of being ofhook shape.` With straight 19 n mits the use of arms,` the securement iseffected by placing the arms over the rear cross member 6 and under themember 7 which is also attached to the truck chassis. This mode ofsecurement pera narrow hopper which can be. adjusted' backward orforward relatively to the cross memberti and according to the overhangof the truckfbody and thereby centered with respect to the stream ofmaterial flowing from `the truck, whereas when hook-shaped arms-areused, the overhangvis taken care of by i the useof a`wide hopper. truckis securedv Without the means and this feature materially increases theefficiency of the spreader.

The agitator shaftS extends parallel to the k,arge ,opening` andv belowthe horizontal plane"of the' lower marginal edge of the rear In anycase, the

vWal'l`4`,fit being ndted that this edgeris elevated with respect t'othe lower marginal edge of the front Wall 3. The lends of the shaftproject through the vertical Aside Wall'svl andQ ofthe hopper and arejournaled in suitable bearings. This shaftmay be of any suitable formand as shownis made inthe form ofa spiral. The agitator shaft' Sisdriven by means which includea frictiona'lly' driven element which isarranged to slipwhen the shaft encounters an obstruction to itsrotation. y

The frictionally driven' element referred to Vpreferably comprises theauxiliary wheel 9 which, as shown, frictionally engages the road. Thewheel 9 is journaled in a bracket 10 which, in turn, is loosely orpivotally mountedon a projectingT end of the shaft 8. The wheel 9carries a sprocket 11 which isleonnected by a chain 12't0 a sprocket 13fixed on the agitatorshaft. Obviously a movement of the truck causes thewheel 9 to rotate and therefore to drive the shaft through the chain andsprocket connection mentioned. It will be noted,` however, that themanner in which the Wheel is mounted permits it to follow the elevationsand depressions of the road Whereby it is'continuously effective todrive the shaft.y It is also notedv that the wheel does not'support'thehopper butl merely supports itsov'vn 'weight'plus part of the weight ofthe bracket in `which it is journaled. The wheel-therefore, bearsagainst the road with a relatively light force as compared to theauxiliary wheels of prior constructions which support the hopper andtherefore provide, in effect', alpositiv'e drive. This light force onthe wheel`9 is'sufiicient'to maintain therotation of the wheel, andconsequently the drive of the shaft` under normal operating conditionsbut it is insufficient to compel the continued rotation'. of the wheelwhen the shaft islocked against rotation by the wedging of materialagainst'the shaft.

It is alsoinsufficient to effect the disruption of .any parts connectingthe wheel and sl1aft.:]The:wheel, therefore, functions as afiictionelement which upon lthe 4locking of use of fasteningv the shaft.slips relatively to the member which it engages that is to say the roadand thereby limits to a safe value, the stresses set up in the drivingmeans and associated parts.

The thickness of the strip of material being spread is regulated by adoor or gate 14 which is slidably secured to the rear wall 4 of thehopperand laterally coextensive therewith. The door or gate is slidablyheld against the rear wall 4 by'bracketsl secured to the wall andextending over the door toward the discharge opening. The movement ofthe door or gate. is effected through an operating lever 16 whichextends along one side of the hopper and has its lower end secured to ashaft 17, the latter being journaled in lugs 18 formed on, or secured tothe wall 4. The shaft 17 carries one or more fixed arms 19, the outerends of which are pivotally connected to links Q0. The other end of thelinks 20 is pivotally connected to the sliding door 14. Obviously amovement of the operating lever 16 cfiects a movement of the arm 19through the shaft 17 and such movement of the arm 19 effects acorresponding movement of the sliding door through the link 20, the doorbeing movable, of course, fully across the space delimited by the lowermarginal edges of the walls 3 and 4. lt is noted that the door 14 benginclined, facilitates the discharge of material through the opening anddoes not tend to build up material at the opening with the result ofclogging it as would be the case if the door were horizontally arranged.It is also noted that the door is arranged to extend the dischargeopening upwardly beyond the horizontal plane of the lower side of theagitator shaft.

This works to advantage inasmuch as the truck7 is ordinarily runbackward in spreading material such as chip stone over an oiled road,and when so operated the agitator shaft drives the material toward thesliding door side of the hopper. As a result any material wedgingbetween the shaft and hopper must wedge against the door and may,therefore, be quickly released by sliding the door to its full openposition.

In order to hold the door at any desired position, the operating lever1G carries a rack 21, the teeth of which cooperate with a pin 22 whichis, secured to a side wall of the hopper,'to lock or latch the lever inany position to which it is moved. This arrangement also ermits thelever to be moved quickly to the ull open position to release the wedgedmaterial and then quickly moved back to its normal position.

The width of the strip of material being spread may be regulated by aseries of doors 23 which are hinged to the inner surface of one of theconverging walls 3 or 4. These doors normally extend upwardly againstthe surface of the wall but when it decrease fthe width of the stri-p,one .or vmore doors may beswfung overzlthe .agitator shaft to block lthedischarge opening 1to the .extent desired. The arrangement of the doorsQ3 in such a manner `that when they are moved `to block odia part :offthe idischarge' opening .they 4extend over `they agitator shaft. hasltwo distinct advantages. First it .enables a reduction 'in the'fpowerrequired @to operatethe agitator sliat-whiel-i iis proportionate to thenumberozf doors niovedto :an operative lposition. In other words.,:although the :agitator shaft extends vthe entire length of the `dischaijge opel'iing athea-nrangement of ythe doors 'is such 'that when.closed material is not fed :to thatportionot the :shat which extends beneath "thefcloscd doors. There 'being :no material. act-ed upon by theyagitator lshaft beneath the closed doors no power is wasted in rotatingthe shaft Iin materialwhich is not being discharged from the hopper;-Hence there is nowearing o-fithat portion of the agitator shaft whichvlies above thatvportion of the discharge opening which isl not availedof.

Then the spreaderl is'in .operatiom'the last `.portion of the materialcontained in the truck usuallT feeds unevenly to the hopper. lt isnecessary to vlevel this Imaterial vin the hopper to insure fan evenl'eedto the road and this operation may bel performed by one of theworlnnen.' With van oiled road, however, the workman cannot'zwalk-alongthe ytruck to do so but must be supported on the truck or hopper. Tothis end, the hopper is provided with the rearwardly extendingstep orledge 23a upon which the workman may stand.

It is to be understood that `the spreader may be used to spread anyloose material. VVhere it is utilized to spread a hard rough materialunder conditions which permit the truck to `be run forward, the frontwall of the hopper is preferably provided with a door arranged similarlyto the door 14 inasmuch as the rotation of the agitator shaft isreversed in such case, and `the material will therefore tend to wedgebetween the shaft and the front wall' 3. If desired, however, the doormay -be mounted so as tospring outward upon the wedging of material tothereby effect its release.

We claim as our invention:

1. .A spreader yof the class described comprising a hopper havinginclined front and `rear walls, the lower portions of which `delimit anoutlet `opening and the lower edge of one wall portion vbeing elevatedwith respect to the vlower edge of the other wall portion, an agitatorshaft extending over sald discharge opening and below the horizontalplane of said elevated edge, va gate slidably mounted on the elevated-wall portion for inclined movement across said opening to vary thewidth .of the opening, means'for moving said vgate and Idoors mounted onone of said walls for movement to :either of two posiof one wall portion'being elevated with respect `to the lower edge 'of the other `wal-lportion, anjagitator shaft 'extending lover said discharge .opening andbelow vthe horizontal plane-of said :elevated edge, a gate slidablymounted on the elevated wall portion forinclined lmovement across saidopening to vary the width of the opening, means for mov ing said' gate,`means-for holding said 4gate in any position to which it may be moved,said moving land holding .means cooperating .to

`.permit the door to be moved quicklyto full' open position toreleasematerial wedged be tween the "shaft and the doorl and af series of doorsmounted on Vsaid hopper andfpse arably movable',v to one positionwherein tiey extend along the inner surface of one'gof said walls and toanother position wherein they extend over the said agitator shaft andoutlet opening to block ottl a corresponding portion ofsaid opening.`

l 3, A lspreader of the class described comprising a hopper having frontand rear walls, the lower portions of which delimit an outlet opening,an agitator shaft arranged in said hopper adjacent said opening anddoors mounted on one of said walls Jfor movement to either of twopositions in one of which they extend over the said agitator shaft andoutlet opening` to block off a corresponding portion .of said opening. f

4. A spreader of the class described com prising a hopper having frontand rear walls, the lower portions ofwhich delimit an outlet opening, anagitator shaft arrangedcin 'said hopper adjacent said opening land aseries of doors mounted on said hopper `and separately movable to oneposition. wherein they extend .along the innersurface of one of saidwalls and to another position lwherein they extend over the saidagitator shaft and outlet opening to block o a corresponding portion ofsaid opening. f

5. In a spreader for attachment toa truck which includes achassis and a`body carried b said chassis tiltable relative'thereto to enaiile lthe`discharge of the contents'of said body by` gravity, thecombination of ahopper arranged beneath the discharge end of said bodyfor receiving thematerial -so dis,- charged, an agitator shaft in said hopper, meansoperable upon movement of said ve' hicle to drive said shaft, sa.dlmeans ineluding an element `which isarranged .to2 limitto a safe valuethe stresses setup by the wedging of material .againstsaid shaft 'and`means independent 'of the drive means ffior said shaftand including'said chassis for support ing the entire weight of said hopper as soarranged and any material delivered to it, said supporting meansincluding a direct connection between said hopper and said chass1s.

6. In a spreader for attachment to a tuck which includes a chassis and abody carried b said chassis tiltable relative thereto to enable dischare of the contents of said body by gravity, t 1e combination of a hopperarranged beneath the discharge end of said body for receiving thematerial so discharged, an agitator shaft in said hopper, means operableupon the movement of said vehicle to drive said shaft, said meansincluding a frictionally driven element which is arranged to slip whenthe shaft encounters an obstruction to its rotation, thereby to limit toa safe value the stresses set up in the machine and means independent ofthe drive means for said shaft and including said chassis for supportingthe entire weight of said hopper asso arranged'and any materialdelivered to it, said supporting means including direct connectionbetween said hopper and said chassis.

7. In a spreader for attachment to a truck which includes a chassis anda body carried by said chassis tiltable relative thereto to enabledischarge of the contents of said body by gravity, the combination of ahopper arranged beneath the discharge end of said body for receiving thematerial so dis charged, an agitator shaft in said hop er, a wheeloperably connected to said shafl and arranged to drive the shaft uponmovement of said vehicle, said wheel 4being arranged to slip when theshaft encounters an obstruction to its rotation, thereby to limit to asafe value the stresses set up in the machine and means independent ofsaid wheel and including said chassis for supporting the entire Weightof said hopper as so arranged and any material delivered to it, saidsupporting means including a direct connection between said hopper andsaid chassis. i

8. In a spreader for attachment to a truck which includes a chassis anda body carried by said chassis tiltable relative thereto to ena ledischar e of the contents of said body by gravity, t e combination of ahopper, an agitator shaft in said hopper, a wheel arranged tofrictionally engage the road and operably connected t0 said shaft todrive the same upon movement of said vehicle, said Wheel bearing againstthe road with' a force sufficient to drive t-he shaft under normaloperating conditions but which permits the wheel to slip over the roadwhen material becomes tightly wedged between the shaft and the hopperand means independent of said wheel and including said chassis forsupporting the entire weight of said hopper and any material deliveredto it.

9. In a spreader for attachment to a truck which includes a chassis anda body carried by said chassis tiltable relative thereto to ena ledischarge of the contents of said body by gravity, the combination of ahopper having front and rear walls, means secured to a Wall of saidhopper and arranged to cooperate with the said chassis to support ltheentire Weight of said hopper and its contents from said chassis, saidhopper being supported in a position to receive the material dischargedfrom the body of said truck and being at all times instantly attachableto or removable from the vehicle.

10. In a spreader for attachment to a truck which includes a chassis anda bod carried by said chassis tiltable relative thereto to enabledischar e of the contents of said body by gravity, t e combination of ahopper having front and rear walls, a pair of arms secured to a wall ofsaid hopper and extending outwardly therefrom, said arms being formed tolit over the cross member of said chassis to support the entire wei htof the hopper and its contents from the c assis, said hopper beingsupported to receive the material discharged from said bod and being atall times instantly attacha le to or removable from 'the vehicle.

In testimony whereof we hereby affix our signatures.

CLAUDE H. NABER. CLARENCE HOLLIDAY.

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